The Scoop on Coffee

Is drinking coffee a health hazard or health promoter? Maybe. It all depends on two factors: whether you’re currently a regular coffee drinker and how much java you consume each day

Cardiovascular Risk

Old thinking: Coffee, specifically the caffeine in coffee, was once considered a risk factor for high blood pressure, an irregular heartbeat, stroke, and heart attack.

Recent research: As long as you’re a regular coffee drinker, there’s no risk of heart disease. People who never drink coffee, however, have a slightly elevated risk of heart disease.

The bottom line: If you’re not used to the caffeine in coffee, you may experience restlessness, anxiety, irritability, sleeplessness, headaches, gastrointestinal symptoms, increased blood pressure, and abnormal heart rhythms.

Type 2 Diabetes

Recent research: According to a large study published in Diabetes Care, drinking coffee actually decreases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 60%. Every two years beginning in 1989, 88,000 women between the ages of 26 and 46 without diabetes were sent questionnaires asking about their health, lifestyle, and food and beverage intake. Women who drank 2 to 4 cups of caffeinated or decaf coffee per day had less risk of developing diabetes than the women who drank 1 or fewer cups of coffee per day.

The bottom line: According to Rob M. van Dam, PhD, of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health and the study’s lead author, “We do not know yet what component is responsible for the link between coffee consumption and a lower risk of type 2 diabetes in our studies. Coffee is a substantial source of magnesium, potassium, vitamin B3, and antioxidants such as chlorogenic acid. This chlorogenic acid is a good candidate because of its antioxidant capacity and because it can slow glucose uptake in the intestines. Further experimental studies in humans are needed to establish what coffee constituent is responsible.

Cancer

Old thinking: According to the American Cancer Society, there’s no proven link between drinking coffee and developing cancer. Some women may find that caffeine increases fibrocystic breast lumps, but there’s no evidence that this will lead to cancer.

Recent research: Possibly even more exciting is coffe’s potential protective value. Drinking moderate amounts of coffee (2 to 4 cups per day) may also help prevent breast cancer in premenopausal women, but researchers are careful to note the need for further study. Antioxidants present in coffee, both chlorogenic acid derivatives and heat-processed antioxidants, may be the reason for coffee’s cancer-protective qualities.

The bottom line: While scientists aren’t yet ready to recommend replacing fruit, vegetables, and whole grains with coffee, coffee drinkers can take heart in knowing that their java habit also has health benefits.

Cirrhosis and Liver Cancer

Recent research: Healthfuk antioxidants once again are the potential reason for a decreased risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer among moderate coffee drinkers. Antioxidants found in coffee may reduce inflammation and help produce detoxifying enzymes to protect the liver from damage.

The bottom line: Rest assured that drinking 3 to 5 cups of coffee per day won’t increase your risk of liver disease.

Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease is a neurotransmitter imbalance in the brain that causes trembling arms and legs, trouble speaking, and difficulty coordinating movement.

Recent research: The Honolulu Heart Program studied more than 8,000 Japanese-American men over a 30-year period and found that the men who drank the most coffee were at the lowest risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. In fact, men who drank no coffee were five times more likely to develop this disease than coffee drinkers.

The bottom line: It appears that caffeine, which belongs to the xanthine chemical group, might be responsible for coffee’s protective effects. According to Eric Chudler, PhD, director of education and outreach at the University of Washington, a naturally occurring xanthine in the brain called adenosine is used as a neurotransmitter at some synapses. When adenosine receptors are blocked, levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine increase. Caffeine may protect against Parkinson’s disease by blocking adenosine receptors, thus increasing the amount of dopamine in the brain. This preliminary research is exciting but requires further study to determine any direct link between coffee or caffeine consumption and Parkinson’s disease.

Prerace Beverage of Choice

Hang out at any endurance event, and you’ll find a large number of athletes drinking coffee 30 minutes before the race starts. That’s because a wealth of research shows that moderate amounts of caffeine (1 1/2 to 2 cups of coffee) improve endurance exercise performance by 20% to 50%. However, if caffeine gives you the jitters, avoid it before endurance races.

Recommendations

Unless you’re someone who’s sensitive to caffeine, drinking coffee isn’t going to hurt your health—and it may even keep you healthier for longer. Just be sure to limit daily consumption to 3 to 5 cups (24 to 40 fluid ounces).

— Lynn Grieger, RD, CDE, cPT